The search for the perfect college can be overwhelming, but also a lot of fun. Finding schools that mesh with your personality, study habits, educational preparation, and expectations for adventure is satisfying in a holistic sort of way. These schools take that philosophy to the next level.

10. Oberlin College: Ohio’s Oberlin College is a well-respected liberal arts college and music conservatory that’s known as the first American university to award bachelor’s degrees to women studying in a coed environment. The highly selective school includes a Winter Term — four weeks in January — in which normal courses are suspended in favor of self-directed education. Students can choose courses or direct one of their own, by themselves or with other students. Oberlin’s Creativity and Leadership Project also allows students from any major to practice entrepreneurship skills, including concept development and business development. The ExCo: Experimental College program is a separate department that lets students, faculty and the public teach courses not offered by the university’s other departments.

9. Deep Springs College: Only three long-term professors are employed by Deep Springs College, all all-male alternative college on a cattle-ranch and alfalfa farm in eastern California. Founded in 1917 on three main values — academics, labor and self-governance — 26 students are selected to attend for two years on a full scholarship, which the college estimates at over $50,000 per year. The three professors are from three different fields and live next to the dorms, also tutoring their students in areas like knitting, stargazing and bread making. All students must also practice public speaking, and they usually attend well-recognized four-year colleges after graduating.

8. New College of Florida: This "public honors college for the liberal arts" is located in Sarasota, FL, and pushes students to direct their own educational programs. There are over 30 concentrations to choose courses from, and students are encouraged to take a broad range of classes to satisfy their interests. Independent Reading Projects are offered each semester, giving students the chance to study one-on-one with a professor or in small groups and focus on research, community involvement or even study abroad. "Narrative evaluations" replace grades, as professors assess projects and student performance in coursework and tutorials.

7. Berea College: Proudly known as the greenest school in Kentucky, Berea College was also founded in 1855 as the first interracial and coed school in the South. Most students are from the surrounding Appalachia region and who have demonstrated the potential for academic success but who may not have been able to afford college without Berea’s no-tuition policy. While the cost of education per student is estimated at $23,000 per year, students trade their free tuition for 10 hours of work per week in campus and service jobs.

To see the rest of the top ten totally unique U.S. Colleges, see the full article on Best Colleges Online.

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